


It's the little wins...

by Calla_Lilalma



Series: The sport of life [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: (spoiler alert), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Getting Together, I am back with more headcanons though!, M/M, Rare Pairings, Sickness, after cannon, i swear this was meant to be much smaller, it got out of hand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 13:00:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9658457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calla_Lilalma/pseuds/Calla_Lilalma
Summary: Kiyoomi's eventful holidays





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hei everyone! I'm back in black!  
> because my soul died -murdered by the exams.  
> i'm seriously a broken shell of a human being. Over the course of a month i went from too anxious for my own sanity to not give a fuck (repeat that each day) to having existential crisis twice.  
> But i'm here! With a much longer than I predicted piece. I seriously planned to do it as long as the first part or 1k longer at most! BUT NOPE! so... here you are! It's bound to have mistakes even if i reread it four times. 
> 
> Special thanks to All_My_Characters_Are_Dead (I don't know how to tag! I'm sorry!) for their support in the previous fic! I honestly wasn't considering making it a series until they gave me ideas! And I hope I did Komori justice!
> 
> Enjoy the fic - the headcanons are at the end notes

It starts with a late night phone call three days before the holidays.

Kiyoomi was really tired from the intense practice and fell asleep right after mechanically doing his normal routine of changing, having a second bath and drying his hair. When the phone rang, he begrudgingly picked it up, not bothering to hide his annoyance at the caller.

But sleep was immediately forgotten when he hears his father’s worried, yet excited voice.

Without a second thought he packs his bag with the absolute necessary stuff for his trip like a few changes of clothes, his wallet, his phone and charger, wipes and disinfectant and two pairs of his gloves, one to wear and one for back up and masks for his face.

He dresses up quickly with the thickest clothes he has in his possession and checks at the time. Four thirty am. The trains have started running again.

When he goes out, he is glad for his choice of clothes because the weather is freezing. He pulls down his beanie to cover his ears and walks in a fast pace to the station. There were a few people outside, many of them drunk and wobbling or passionately making out with someone else.

He tries his hardest to avoid all of them and fastens his pace before more crowd comes up.

He arrives at the station but instead of taking the usual train he takes to get to university, he goes to the opposite platform, towards Tokyo.

The train arrives shortly after and he is clad that it’s not too crowded. He finds a place to sit alone and sends his father a message to tell him that he’s coming home earlier.

The sun starts rising when he is close to his destination and the time is seven thirty in the morning. He decides that now is a good time to call  his coach and inform him that he will leave now rather than Christmas Eve, the date the university closes for the holidays.

The response comes five minutes later, with the coach warning him about not slacking off and wishing him to have happy holidays.

He forwards the message to his manager at the restaurant to do the same about the rest of his shifts and adds a line to apologize for the last minute notice.

After his responsibilities are settled, he stares at the phone and thinks of texting Aone. It’s been two week since Aone came to the practice match Kiyoomi invited him to and they have started getting closer. They started meeting each other on the station to go to uni together and text a lot when they have free time. Despite the taller being so quiet when you speak to him face to face, he sends more than one word messages. Kiyoomi is more than fine with both situations. Just being in the other’s company calms him.

Even if they know each other for a few weeks, Kiyoomi is sure that he wants Aone more in his life.

And if he wants that, then he has to take a few initiatives.

So he sends a message to him.

 **Me:** Good morning. I left town for a family emergency. I will return after the holidays.

He hopes it isn’t too formal but sends it anyway, keeping it vague because he doesn’t want to spring all this information to him first thing in the morning.

It’s eight thirty when he finally arrives to his station and when he get up he legs are stiff from sitting too long. He discreetly stretches his limbs and hears the bones crack slightly and exhales in satisfaction.

He exits the station and looks around to find a taxi to take him home when he hears a voice yelling his name.  An extremely familiar voice.

“Sakusa!”

He turns to the source of the voice, surprised for a few seconds, but then greets in a more quiet tone.

“Komori, what are you doing here?”

His childhood friend grins widely at him “I came to pick you up, of course! Your dad called me, told me you were coming and asked me if I could pick you up! He didn’t want to leave the house.” He tells him “Plus, I know that you hate going to taxis, so I brought my new car.”

A small smile pulls Kiyoomi’s lips up, but it isn’t visible with the mask on. He’s relieved that he won’t have to take a taxi to go home or any other public transport for today.

Komori leads him to his new car and Sakusa just knows that it’s the bright orange Seat Leon the moment he spots it. There is no way Komori will settle for a plain colored car that doesn’t stand out.

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Komori shows his car with wide arms, voice full of pride.

Kiyoomi just passively passes him by and opens the co-drivers doors to get in.

Komori gets in the driver’s seat and starts the car.

“Where did you get it?” Kiyoomi asks him as the other pulls back.

“My dad’s friend sold it to us! It’s actually a used car, though it doesn’t look like it.”

Kiyoomi starts shifting a bit in his seat.

Komori seemed to read his thoughts and he laughs heartily “Don’t worry! I clean like once a week so I can vouch for it!”

That made him relax a little more.

They finally arrived at his family’s home and Kiyoomi immediately got out of the car and used his keys to get inside. He was aware that everything was okay by the not too panicked tone in his father’s voice during the phone call yesterday but he couldn’t suppress his own worried thoughts.

He hears voices from their living room at the left of the hallway and leaves the door open so Komori can get in too.

The moment when he enters the living room, three pairs of eyes turn his way and in a matter of seconds his legs get fifty pounds heavier.

“Onii-chan!” two high pitched voices yell at him and he looks down at the smiling faces of his two little sisters.

Kiyoomi gently pats both of their heads “Hanako, Akiko,  you can let go now, I can’t move.”

Both girls hesitantly listen and stop hugging his legs, he crouches down so they all are on the same eye level.

“Have you been good?”

The oldest, ten year old Akiko, grins at him playfully, one of her front teeth missing “of course Onii-chan!”

The younger girl, six year old Hanako, frowned at her older sister and pointed a tiny finger at her accusatorily “she’s lying, Onii-chan! She ate all the candy we had, and dad told us not to!”

“I did not!”

“You did too!”

“did not!”

“did too!”

“did not!”

“did—”

“That enough.” Kiyoomi sighed tiredly, before the fight escalated and possibly resulting in tears from one or both girls “Akiko, not listening to mom and dad isn’t good. ” He scolded. The girl scowled and looked at her feet. He sighed again “it’s fine for now, but don’t do it again. Okay?” he extends his pinkie to her, to make a promise. The girl nods, understanding her position.

The books he read on parenting over the years said that he had to be firm yet friendly. But they also said that it was good to be consistent in rewarding or punishing.

He would make an exception just for this time.

 “You haven’t set a proper foot in the house and already playing parent again. What am I going to do with you?”

Kiyoomi quickly straightens up and turns to look at the person speaking. He smiles.

“Shouldn’t you be at the hospital, resting?”

His mother huffs a bit and opens her arms for him to hug her, in which he eagerly goes. His family is some of the few people whom Kiyoomi is comfortable with such intimate gestures.

Now, his mother is not on the short side but still he has to bend a little to fully wrap his arms around her.

That and also the very pregnant state she is in that has her belly in the size of a huge watermelon that makes everything even more weird.

“I don’t know what you father told you but it was just a false alarm.” she sighs and blankly stares at his father. It’s the same look that Kiyoomi has inherited fully by his mother, the look that can make most people uncomfortable. It seems that even after all those years in which his parents are married, his father still squirms when subjected to it.

“Don’t look at me like that Kaori, it really seemed like it was the one. What if it was and Kiyoomi wasn’t here to welcome his little brother?” his father responds.

“Still, you didn’t have to call him in the crack of dawn and make him get on the first train here.”  Her words have no bite in them and she sighs tiredly “I’m going back upstairs to sleep.” But as she takes her first steps towards the staircase she wobbles a bit. In the next second both Kiyoomi and his father are by her sides, steading her.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. I can handle it.”

“As if we’ll leave you go up all alone!” his father says.

“Hideki stay down here. Kiyoomi is going up with me to rest in his room. I bet he hasn’t slept for long after you called him.”

“Komori is still outside with my bag...” At that both of his parents laugh.

“I bet he still is trying to park his car. I better go help him before he crashes again.”  His father goes outside.

“Plus, you still have plenty of clothes left here. You didn’t grow taller, so they still fit you.” His mother adds.  She calls his sisters and tells them that they are going upstairs and not to disturb them. Kiyoomi stares Akiko meaningfully and she nods firmly. Then they head to the second floor of the house, where all the bedrooms and two of the three bathrooms are.

He escorts his mother to her bedroom and before she can retire she turns to him and holds his hands with hers.

“Welcome back.”

He squeezes her hands softly “I’m home.” He hadn’t realized that he missed home that much, especially during his mother’s pregnancy.

Like she had read what was on his mind, she pulls out one of her hands from his grip and pats his cheek “You were here on the first two and on Hanako's, you were pretty old to remember. You have your own life too, you know” he nods as a response.

“Now, go rest and will talk more when you wake up.” She checks at the clock “it’s quarter past nine, so we’ll wake you when we have lunch. Rest well, baby.”

His room is just as he remembers. The volleyball posters are still on the walls, the trophies on the shelves, proudly showing off and clean of dust.  He opens his closet and puts a pair of sweatpants and an old baggy long-sleeved shirt. He washes his hands and heads to bed, sleep overtaking him in a matter of minutes.

 

He wakes up feeling much less exhausted than before and hearing loud voices from the down floor, Komori being the loudest one. He sluggishly gets up and goes to join them.

Komori’s currently watching some kids movie with his sisters and his mother on the couch while his father is in the kitchen preparing the meals.

“Good morning sunshine!” Komori beams the moment he sees him “Your bag is over there” pointing to backpack hang on one of the chairs. He takes it back upstairs and rummages through it to find his phone and charge it.

He is surprised to find several messages sent while he was busy, most of them from a couple of his teammates that wished him happy holidays and that they hope everything is fine at home. He finds a couple by one of his classmates that he gets along with, telling him what they did in class. 

Strolling further down, he is pleasantly surprised he has one from Aone too.

 **Aone Takanobu :** Is everything okay?

It’s a simple text but Kiyoomi can feel the concern behind the written words. He sees that is was sent a couple of hours ago and quickly presses the reply option to reassure the other.

 **Me:** Yes, everything is fine. My mother thought she was going into labor but is was a false alarm. Sorry for the late message, I was resting and thank you for your concern.

He checks out the spelling and the syntax a couple of times, and sending it when it was deemed acceptable.

He realizes that the message leave little space for further conversation and decides to send another.

 **Me:** are you going anywhere for the holidays?

Satisfied, he goes back to his family and helps his father prepare lunch, while the rest of the family (and Komori) laze around.

Soon the table is set and they all eat together. Komori has called his parents to inform them that he’ll eat with them, but even if he didn’t, they’d already know that. The Sakusa household has been like a second home to Komori since they became friends, exactly like Komori’s home is to Kiyoomi.

Lunch makes time pass pleasant, even if the whole table had to convince Hanako to eat her vegetables. Then him and Komori head back upstairs to his room to watch volleyball matches from this year’s nationals. Even if they were done with high school, it was still fun to assess what players had potential in the future.

He turns his gaze away from the tv when he hears the text notification sound from his phone. He grabs it and sees a message from Aone.

 **Aone Takanobu:** I’m glad it wasn’t something bad. My family is going to come two days before New Year’s Eve and stay for a week. But I’ll mostly work on the clinic.

 **Me:** That’s too bad, working on the holidays I mean. Is it busy?

Kiyoomi stares at his phone intently, like it will make time pass faster.

The moment the screen shows the newest message, Kiyoomi presses on it in the speed of light.

 **Aone Takanobu:** Less than normal days. Many owner leave for vacation or away from the city. The loud noises and fireworks make the animals anxious. I volunteered to work a few more hours overtime because we’re understaffed in case of an emergency.

A soft smile pulled the corners of Kiyoomi’s lips up as he types his reply.

 **Me:**   that’s really nice of you. I wouldn’t volunteer to work overtime in the restaurant, especially during the holidays.

“That’s a first, you not paying your outmost attention on a game. Who are you texting?” the teasing voice of Komori makes him raise his head and lock eyes with each other.

“Nobody.” he deadpans instantly.

Komori’s eyes glance at his phone suspiciously for a moment and then back to Kiyoomi’s “Really...”

Kiyoomi knows what that look means and instantly turns off his phone completely, places it on his nightstand and faces the tv to watch the match.

Komori burns holes into his face with his stare but eventually he gives up and presses play.

~ ~ ~

He spends the next days watching over his mother and his sisters.  The older woman constantly tells him that she doesn’t need the constant supervision but Kiyoomi is having none of it. Her waters are on the verge of breaking any minute and no one wants to risk getting her late in the hospital.

His sisters are more manageable. All he has to do is watch television with them and let them play with his hair. Although all siblings (minus the one they are currently waiting for) share the same black hair color from their mother, only he has really curly hair that defy gravity when he wakes up so they little girls are fascinated by it.

He considers himself lucky that they don’t put make up on him.

During all of this, he exchanges text with Aone. Just like he said, the clinic was slow and he had a lot of free time in his hands to text him. It’s the normal stuff they usually talk about like the upcoming midterms, volleyball and stories from their work places, though Aone has the more uplifting and exciting ones while Kiyoomi is low-key complaining about some rude costumer he had served.

Each one of their conversations makes him happy and smiling, yet cautious and nervous at the same time. It’s like going to the nationals or joining a new team. Happy to play large scale volleyball, but the pit of his stomach wrenching when he socializes with new people. But in that case, he's too anxious about what he wants his relationship with Aone to be.

Once, when he was playing Uno with his family, he get another text.

 **Aone Takanobu:** IMG.jpg

When he opens the image he is surprised to see a cat lying down at the side in a clinic table, probably from Aone’s workplace. The cat has pure white fur and is on the big side, with heterochromic eyes, one baby blue and the other a hazel greenish color. Animals that shed fur are not his favorite, he prefers fish, birds and some reptiles, but even he can appreciate a cute cat or animal photo.

A second message joins the other, clearing Kiyoomi’s confusion.

 **Aone Takanobu:** Her name’s Khione, she is also pregnant and due to these days. We’re keeping her here until she gives birth.

He can’t conceal the small laugh that escapes him and his face feels the tiniest bit hot.

“Onii-chan, are you okay?” Hanako asks him innocently.

“Do you have a fever?” Akiko comes to his side and puts one tiny hand on his forehead. She furrows her eyebrows in confusion “Mommy, I don’t know if he’s hot or not!”

“I’m fine Akiko, I don’t have a fever.” He reassures her.

“He has something much worse...” his father says solemnly.

The two girls’ eyes widen in fear and panic for her brother. “What?!!”

 His father drops the serious mask and puts a hand over his heart “the best and worst kind of sickness there is…” he looks at Kiyoomi dead in the eye “the LOVE sickness”

Kiyoomi’s face gets even hotter and his parents smirk smugly at him.

He glares down at them. If it was any other person, they would probably run away from the intimidation.

But these are his parents, the people who raised him and taught him how to appear intimidating, of course it wouldn’t work judging by their wide smirks.

His sisters, oblivious to all of this, gasp dramatically in terror “IS ONII-CHAN GOING TO DIE?!”

His mother joins his father in the farce “I wonder, oh I wonder! Only time will show—”

“No, I’m not going to die.” He interrupts before they can stretch it any longer, cursing his face for still being red “Please stop putting stupid ideas in their heads”  he sighs, a subtle plead behind his words.

They seemed to get it and said nothing. They resume the game. But not before he read everything from their faces.

 

“Uno!”

“Mommy, you cheated! You forgot to draw four!”

~ ~ ~

The calm Christmas day they’d planned, turned out to be slightly different.

Komori’s family had come to celebrate the holidays together and brought all kinds of foods and presents. They had bought his sisters stuffed animals and volleyball equipment (all of the Sakusa family was in a volleyball team for some point in their lives).

Komori had bought him two pairs of touch screen gloves that will make Kiyoomi’s life much easier. Kiyoomi in return got him neon green seat covers that bring him headaches every time he sees them and from the bone crushing hug he got, Komori more than loves them. 

The background  sound of the Christmas special episodes his sister’s where watching were heard in the whole house, along with various conversions between their families.

He was talking to Komori about his volleyball team when a loud thud interrupts him and the next thing he knows his legs take him right next to his mother where she had fallen on the floor, wincing from the pain and breathing shallowly.

“The water broke,” Komori’s mother speaks from her other side “you and your father take her to the hospital. We’ll take care of everything here.” Kiyoomi nods, his mind in a daze and helps his mother stand up, but she is in so much pain that she can’t move.

He puts an arm behind her knees and the other in the middle of her bag prepares to lift her up. But is afraid that doing this alone will be dangerous for her.

“Motoya, come help me here!” he calls and the other is immediately coping his movement from the other side. Together they manage to move her easily. She has her arms linked around Kiyoomi’s shoulders and breath heavily on his neck.

They head outside where his father has pulled the car out, ready to floor it at any second and they try to put her in the back seat as gently as they can. She lays on the backseats, seeming less in pain than before.

“I’ll come later with my car and everyone else.” Komori tells him with a gentle pat on the back “Don’t panic, everything is going to be fine”

Kiyoomi gets in the co-driver’s seat with a nod and his father starts the car. From the latter’s phone, Kiyoomi calls the hospital to inform them so that they are already prepared the moment they arrive. The hospital is twenty minutes away and there is no traffic due to the holidays.

“You okay there, Kaori?” his father asks looking through the review mirror at her.

“Just fucking peaching.” she answers, her voice calm.

“You were in a lot of pain earlier...” Kiyoomi notes.

“Ah, that was because it came so suddenly, “she grunts softly “it’ll pass. Thank god I have my volleyball star of a son to carry me outside when I couldn’t move.”  
“Motoya was there too. You’re too heavy to carry alone” he mumbles earning a laugh and a mock gasp from his father and mother respectively.

The moment they reach the hospital, they are already waiting for them. Nurses rush to help his mother into a wheelchair to move her to the labour room. The two men follow them but only his father is allowed past the waiting room, which is completely fine with Kiyoomi.

He sits in the waiting room just registers that with all the rush, he forgot to take his gloves, his masks, his phone and even a jacket. The only thing he can do is stare at the floor, he doesn’t want to look at his surroundings in fear he will make uncomfortable eye contact with someone else.

 

Kiyoomi doesn’t hate hospitals for someone that hates germs. While they are places full of germs and diseases, at  the same time they are full with experts that cure them every day. And the facilities are always clean with the doctors and nurses dressed with clean uniforms and always equipped with masks and gloves.

But even with that, the lack of his own gloves and jacket still leaves him with an anxious feeling in his stomach. He tries to distract himself by thinking something else, like what  his sisters are doing and fidgets his fingers.

He doesn’t realize how much time passes and mildly flinches when suddenly Komori sits beside him.

“I brought your things.” And hands him his gloves, his phone and a jacket.

Kiyoomi exhales in relief “Akiko and Hanako?”

“with my parents. How are things here?”

“I don’t know, no one came out.”

They wait together in comfortable silence for a doctor to come and inform them, both checking out their phones.

Kiyoomi finds a couple of messages sent by Aone a couple of hours ago. He opens the first one and sees a picture of the same cat as a couple of days ago, again lying on her side . But the key difference was that in this photo she has four little black and white kittens with her.

He opens the other message.

 **Aone Takanobu:** Happy holidays. Khione had 4 health kittens. One male, three females. How are you today?

He is amused by the coincidence today and quickly types a reply.

 **Me:** That’s good. My mother’s water broke today and we’re currently waiting in the hospital.

“I’m going to the cafeteria. Want anything?” Komori asks him.

“Hot tea.”

With a nod he leaves Kiyoomi alone in the waiting room except the nurses that are working on their shifts. It’s been an hour or so since they came and he starts to worry. He turns his gaze from where his parents went to his phone.

 **Aone Takanobu:** Congratulations in advance, I’m sure everything is going to be alright.

Did he sound that worried over the phone, he wondered but soon the doors finally opened and a doctor came out, still in her surgical uniform.

“Sakusa Kaori’s family?” she asks him.

“Yes, I’m their son.” He has no time for anxiety over speaking to a complete stranger .

The doctor smiles “Congratulations then. The procedure was successful and it’s a healthy boy.”  He exhales in relief.

“Can I go see them?”

“of course. They are in the room 415 over the hallway. Your father is with her with them.” She smiles one last time before she walks away.

“congrats!” he hears Komori exclaim loudly from behind him. Kiyoomi smiles widely at him.

“thanks, let’s go.” he grabs the others hand and all but drags him to the room the doctor told him.

He doesn’t even knock before he opens the door, still with Komori on his tail. He sees his mother and his father staring down at a green clad bundle. They turn to them and his mother smiles tiredly and beckons them to come closer.

Komori lightly pushes him when he doesn’t move and Kiyoomi slowly walks to them, with quiet step just in case the baby is asleep.

“Are you okay?” he almost whispers.

“Just tired. And lighter, which is a relief.” She jokes and Kiyoomi snorts. It’s great to see her usual cheerful self.

He finally turns his attention to the baby, which is awake, staring at him with sky blue eyes.

“Kiyoomi, meet your brother Kazuko.” she moves the blanket wrapped baby closer to him.

Little Kazuko moves his tiny hands at the movement, but still keeps his eyes to him.

“Don’t be shy son. He is a quiet one, like you were.” His father added amused.

He extends his hand and his mother gently put Kazuko in them.

It’s more nerve whacking  that playing for the last point on the match. At least he has learned to somehow handle the pressure there.

Here, he tries to remember how to hold a baby from the books he read but his mind draws blank.

Luckily his hands are guided to the right position and the baby starts giggling.

“Rock him a bit.”

He follows the instruction almost mechanically and makes slow movements. The giggling doesn’t stop and Kiyoomi relaxes more, smiling too.

“Hi Kazuko,” he doesn’t feel as awkward as he thought talking to a baby “It’s big brother Kiyoomi” he tries to keep his voices as low and as soothing as he can.

He hears a snort and lifts his head to see Komori with his phone up. It’s obvious what he’s doing.

Kiyoomi would glare at him but he doesn’t want to risk his little brother being scared.

He places Kazuko in his father’s arms, who starts making the most disgusting baby voice he’s ever heard. Komori doesn’t seem to think so because the moment his turn comes he does the exact same thing.

But it was fine, Kiyoomi manages to record every bit of his ridiculousness on camera.

When visiting hours are over, they reluctantly leave after the reassurance of their parents. One the one hand he wants to stay, just in case he is needed but on the other he feels too disgusted on his own skin and desperately wants to take a bath. He feels like he’s done twice the normal practice at uni and not being able to shower after that; needless to say, when Komori drags him out of the hospital, he doesn’t resist much.

It’s late at night when they arrive at his house, Komori’s parent’s still inside and everything tidied up. He sees the Komori’s out, completely dismissing Komori’s suggestion of staying with him tonight. It’s neither like he hasn’t staying alone, taking care of his sisters before, when he was much younger nor like something bad happened, just something surprising. When even Kiyoomi himself doesn’t worry about it, Motoya has even less of a reason too. But he accepts the latter taking them to the hospital the next day.  After that he quickly heads to the shower further away from his sleeping sisters’ rooms.

Who weren’t so asleep, because when he arrived to his room he sees them in their pyjamas , sitting on his bed alarmingly quiet.

“What’s wrong?” he asks them.

Akiko answers first, hugging her stuffed narwhal close to her little body “Is mama going to be okay?”

He kneels in front of them and looks at them in the eyes “Of course she is”

“she fell pretty bad,” Hanako says “and she was hurting...”

“she was for a little bit, ” he speaks again when he sees the fear in their eyes “but that’s normal when she’s having a baby. When she had you, it was almost the same. I still remember how scared I was.” he flicks their foreheads softly. “You’ll see tomorrow. But for now, go to sleep.”

The girls didn’t move an inch and looked at him wide eyes and pouting lips.

“Can I sleep here? with you?” Hanako asks him

“Me too!” Akiko quips.

Kiyoomi runs a hand through his hair and sighs tiredly, something he’s found himself doing frequently. “Get under the covers.”

They do it while cheering a little too loudly for his tired brain to handle and rubs above the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

“I’m not reading you anything”  he says as he gets in with them. They pout again but now he’s not having it. they realize that and lay down on either side of him. The bed is spacious enough to fit them all nicely and comfortably “Goodnight”

“Goodnight Onii-chan!”

“Not so loud”

“Goodnight onii-chan...” now they whisper.

That gets a tired laugh out of him and before he falls asleep he feels two little body getting closer to him.

 

His sisters wake him up before the alarm but  just as loudly. They seem excited to meet Kazuko and listen to Kiyoomi’s instructions like it’s a matter of life and death. They are eating breakfast when Komori comes over and joins them, despite that he ate in his house too. They get ready with warm clothes, he is sure to check them more than once.

The ride is mostly the radio playing Christmas music and his sisters asking questions about the baby, the dreaded question ‘how people make babies’ coming from Akiko, Komori desperately trying to make up a cute story and failing miserably at it until Kiyoomi finally grants him mercy by changing the subject.

The two guys take a hand of the girls, to stop them both from getting lost and running all over the facility. They tell them to be quiet when they are in the room.

Thankfully, they listen when the they arrive on the room but still vibrate with excitement and curiosity.

Their mother gives them a smile, more lively that yesterday and Kiyoomi finally lets them go to her.

Kiyoomi and Komori stay by the door, leaning their back on the wall as they watch Hanako and Akiko fusing silently over Kazuko. It reminds him of himself when Hanako was born, when he welcomed Hanako, his first sibling, when he was ten, less cautious about the outside world and anxious about his responsibilities.

Being a big brother wasn’t like the movies and his fantasies. Being kept awake on school nights because of a crying baby, feeling the fear of being replaced and jealousy grounded him to reality really fast. There were times when he was annoyed by his sisters and tired of watching over them . Times when he was genuinely angry about being forced to skip volleyball practice and babysit instead, especially when it was an important match.

But he admits that it helped him build a stronger sibling bond with his sisters. Reading to them, watching tv and movies and when the weather was good, teaching them volleyball made them closer, despite their decade old age gap.

Kiyoomi was living in the same house as them at that time though. Now he is four hours away with almost no time to visit unless it’s the holidays or something very important. He has a job and classes and practice that demand the most of him, without many breaks.

Worry starts slipping into his mind. Worry that he’ll be an absent older brother, to the point where he’ll be treated like an distant relative that comes once every few years and no one remembers. He doesn’t want that at all. He wants to be a prominent figure in his newborn brother’s life, just like he did in his sisters’ lives.

He must have being making a weird face, because his father looked at him weirdly before walking to him, the two of them a few feet away from the rest of the family and Komori, who can probably be considered family after years of being best friends.

His father doesn’t say anything, waiting for his son to speak his mind on his own. Both of them know that Kiyoomi can close himself off from other when pressured too much.

“I don’t know how often I can visit” he admits at the end of what seemed like a year long silence.

He gets no response but from the corner of his eyes, his father nods encouragingly.

“it’s a twenty year gap between me and Kazuko,” he plays with his fingers, pinching the fabric of his glove in the tip of his finger.

“Ah... so that’s all you’re worried about.”

His head snaps up, mildly glaring “ ’That’s all?’, you say?”

“You’re worrying about something impossible.” his voice is steady with a tone of finality “do you honestly think that me and your mother, even Akiko and Hanako, would even let you be forgotten?” it’s a rhetorical question, but even if it wasn’t , Kiyoomi had no answer. “You are our first child, our first son.  No matter how much you grow up, that doesn’t change. Nor will the fact that you’re a role model for the girls.” he looks that them with warm eyes and lets out a little laugh.

“Akiko wants to play volleyball because of you, you know. When we went to your game for the first time, she saw and said ‘I want to be as cool as onii-chan’, remember?”

He does, he was still in middle school when after a match, a semifinal that they lost, four year old Akiko demanded that he taught her volleyball. Now she is enrolled in a team in her school. Soon after, Hanako, wanted in too. In the beginning, it was just because she wanted to be a part of what her older siblings did but she grew to like the game, not as much as Akiko, but still enjoyed it.

“She’ll probably teach Kazuko the moment when he starts to walk!” both of them smile at that. It’s probably true, after all, she has a tendency of wanting to teach Akiko whatever she could, no matter if it was counting or drawing flowers at the walls.

“You shouldn’t worry. It’s not like we can’t visit you or call you anytime” he ruffles Kiyoomi’s curly locks “You may have moved out and made a life on your own, but that doesn’t mean you’re not an active part of the family.”

“Hideki, can you go to the cafeteria and get me coffee?” His mother calls.

 His father sighs “Fine! You want anything?” Kiyoomi shakes his head and the other leaves the room.

His heart feels lighter after the reassurance. Before he walks over to joins his family in gushing over their newest member, he sends a quick text.

 **Me:** his name is Kazuko

~ ~ ~

They spend the next few days of their holidays somewhat calm. His mother is discharged two days before New Year’s and they bring the baby to the house for the first time. Kazuko is constantly looking around the house, curious about whatever catches his eye and extend his hand towards it. But most of the time he’s sleeping, being fed or changed.

The nights luckily aren’t so bad as before. Kazuko cries only a couple of times, while Hanako at that time, could stay awake for the whole night.

Like then, Kiyoomi sometimes went to the baby, leaving his exhausted parents to sleep for a bit before starting an even more exhausting day.

The New Year’s shrine visit goes like all the years before, together with Komori’s family and then eating at one of their houses. This time for obvious reasons is at the Sakusa family house.

The rest of the holidays, Kiyoomi didn’t do much. Tending to his siblings, hanging out with Komori,  exchanging exts with Aone were the main things he did other than sleeping so irregularly that he’s sure that his sleeping pattern has changed dramatically.

He’s starting to get worried of being out of shape when he’s back.

All and all, it was peaceful and quiet, both things he appreciates.

 When it’s time to go back, he isn’t as worried as he thought he would be. He promised his family he would visit, and Kazuko clinging to him and pouting when he was pulled away made him lighter.

He packs his bags, the one he came with plus an extra filled with enough food for a month, and puts them on the trunk of Komori’s car.

“Why are you coming?” he asks for the tenth time.

“To hang out! without our families, that is! It’s been too long since I visited you!” it’s always the answer.

He doesn’t answer, the headache he has since the morning has made him a bit more subdued, and get in the car.

He regrets getting Komori the present he did. The bright neon car seats are already in place and it’s hurting his eyes.  Komori’s face is even brighter of joy and pride for his car,  thanking Kiyoomi again for the present with a beaming smile. He can’t stay that mad at him for long.

The car ride to Kiyoomi’s apartment is five hours at least, depending on the traffic which won’t be at their side today.  Komori has sensed from the beginning that Kiyoomi isn’t feeling well and doesn’t put on the music or is perturbed when he puts on his headphones to listen some ASMR, to make the pounding in his head less painful. But Kiyoomi can feel the worried glances here and there.

The ASMR works as he’s able to relax in the car, the pounding less likely to make him groan.

That was until he starts coughing.

His headphones slid out of his head and Komori pulls over immediately, reaches out to him to rub small circles on his bag and give him water. Kiyoomi doesn’t resist and slowly gulps it down, fearing that he’ll start coughing again.

‘you okay?’ Komori’s eyes try to tell him and he nods and says an audible ‘yeah’.

He breathes heavily until he feels better and leans back on his seat.

“I think I’m sick...” he concludes tiredly. The headache, the cough and the mood he had since this morning lead to this.

Komori puts a hand over his forehead “You don’t have a fever.”

“yet, it’s still too early to tell.”

“well, better get you home quickly,” there is an urgency in his voice.

“and stop in a pharmacy and get some painkillers.”

Komori drives as fast as he can with this traffic, going faster when there is a more empty road. After half an hour they found one and bought the pills. They took effect half an hour later and Kiyoomi’s headache was once again not too terrible.

The rest of the ride went smoothly, the got out of the troublesome traffic by the last hour of their trip and Kiyoomi was able to have small naps here and there. He could also have a decent conversation with Komori without feeling like his head was going to explode.

When they arrived, the apartment was freezing cold, so the first task was to turn on the heater and gather whatever blanket and sheet Kiyoomi had. They heated up some of the food from his other bag from home and he and Komori sat and watched documentaries about volcanos until he feel asleep on Komori’s shoulder.

~ ~ ~

He wakes up the next morning feeling like he has the plague instead of a cold. He is covered with blankets, sweating and feeling the ever present headache. He has forgotten how disgusting being sick felt like. Last time he got sick was in the beginning of his second year of middle school.  He rarely gets sick but when he does, it leaves him bedridden for at least a week.

He hears the shower running, probably Komori and relaxes further into his bed.  He was probably moved overnight because he remembers falling asleep on the living room’s couch.

“You have a fever,” he tells him “39 degrees.” and changes the cold fabric from his forehead. 

“Thank you.”

He beams “Finally! Some appreciation!”

“I’m weak and partially delusional by the fever. You have low standards.”

Komori pouts “you’re even more of a downer when you’re sick. Thank god it doesn’t happen often.” He laughs teasingly “But that won’t last for long” and gives Kiyoomi a mischievous grin.

Kiyoomi is getting suspicious and narrows his eyes at the other “what did you do?”

The other’s grin stays on his face “I called for help of course! Don’t worry, I’m doing you a favor.”

He wants to protest but he feels drowsy again and for now he decides that he’ll trust Komori and sleep.  How bad can I be? It’s Komori, his friend for years, he knows almost everything about him. He wouldn’t do something to push him out of his comfort zone.

 

 

Well, most of the time.

When he half wakes up later, he listens to voices speaking in low tones and a slight clattering from the kitchen, meaning someone is using is, careful not to wake him.  He doesn’t bother with it and goes back to sleep.

~ ~ ~

The next time he wakes up, he isn’t feeling any less better but not completely worse. The apartment is silent and the sun seems to have set.

He stares at the ceiling for a while, trying to focus his eyes again and see clears pictures when a low voice asking if he was okay snaps him out of it.

In fact, in snaps him so much that he instantly finds himself sitting up and looking around with wide eyes, until he finds the source of the voice. Then he regrets sitting up so fast because he feels dizzy again and all the focus he tried to find was gone.

“You shouldn’t sit up.” a hand is on his shoulders, strongly yet lightly pushing him to lay down again and Kiyoomi doesn’t resist. He is much too shocked and his throat is as dry as a desert.

“do you need anything?” Aone asks him, in his house, sitting next to his bed and looking at him with concern.

Kiyoomi wants to say many things but in the end he only croaks the word ‘water’. Aone is on his feet walking towards the kitchen and pours him a glass of water from one of the bottles he has stacked in his kitchen.  Kiyoomi is watching him like a hawk, unable to look away as Aone comes back and hands him the water.

This time he sits up slowly and accepts the glass, gulping down eagerly.

“Thanks...” he says with a more humane voice. Aone nods at him and takes the now empty glass from him.

Then, silence. They’re just looking at each other, Kiyoomi trying to put an explanation to the current situation and Aone possibly trying to deduce how sick he is.

“um… Where is Komori?” he asks when he doesn’t hear a sigh of his friend for a while.

“To the convenience store, to get the ingredients for dinner.”

Things start to click slowly. He is sick, not stupid.

“Is that why you’re here?” the harshness on his voices makes him wince.

“I got a text for your friend yesterday, saying you’re sick and with your address. I came after work to check on you” Aone answers, lowering his eyes from his a flicker of hurt passes through them  “He let me in, we talked a bit and then went out. He told me to stay here in case you woke up.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Your fever has gone down a little but it’s still above 38 degrees. After dinner you should take painkillers.” He advices.

“Yeah… thank you.” Kiyoomi clasps his hands together tightly, feeling appalled by the dampness of his palms.

Aone seems to want to say something but he doesn’t get the chance when the door opens with a cheerful Komori, carrying grocery bags.

“I’m home~” he sings songs

“Welcome back.” Kiyoomi answers quietly.

“You seem better now. I brought what you need to make chicken soup for you.”

Aone gets up “Then I’ll be going home.” and Kiyoomi just knows that the awkward atmosphere from before made him feel unwelcome here and it makes him feel even worse today, but words can’t escape to tell him not to go.

Luckily for him, Komori’s here and he knows how to read him so he intervenes “Nonsense! you’re staying here for dinner. We can make it a little earlier today so you won’t your train!” he leans up to Aone’s shoulder, the height difference making him stand on his toes “Besides, Sakusa is even crankier than usual when he’s sick so the more people here the better” he whisper-yells.

“Komori.” he grunts.

“See?”

In the end Aone stays, helping Komori with dinner while Kiyoomi is still sitting on his bed, being watching them and being useless.

One of the many reasons he absolutely hates being sick.

They eat in silence, enjoying the delicious soup, each lost on their own thoughts. When they’re done Komori fills the silence with happy chatter, telling stories from his university life and the cool things he learns about the planet. Kiyoomi has heard them before but he doesn’t mind listening one more time, happy that Komori is doing well, even if they’re not on the same city. Or maybe the painkillers he took to calm down the day long headache are making him happier Him and Aone don’t talk much, only when they feel the need to. Aone seems more relaxed than before but Kiyoomi can see the occasional glances in his direction.

Aone leaves in time to catch the second to last train for the night, bowing slightly and wishing Kiyoomi to get well soon. He nods back stiffly. Then he thanks Komori for the meal and walks out the door.

A few minutes pass in complete silence before Komori turns around and stares at him with a smile “So…?”

“You went through my phone.” Kiyoomi states accusatorily.

“It was necessary!”

“My phone had a password for a reason.”

“Oh please, I just had to google the number ten in binary code. Which is literary the number 10 twice! I hope your codes and computer passwords are way stronger than that!” he dares to grin at him.

“that doesn’t change the fact that you went through my private stuff.” Kiyoomi’s angry and his tense shoulders and clenches jaw are evidence of it.

“I’m not sorry for that though.”

Kiyoomi’s glare intensifies and if looks could kill, his dear friend would be six feet underground.

Komori sighs and sits next to him on the bed “look, I have seen how bad you can be when you’re sick, so it would be better to have someone else here, and someone you like at that.” Kiyoomi opens his mouth to protest  but he’s interrupted “I’ve read your messages Sakusa, and I know for a fact that you like this guy, so don’t deny it.” he just clicks his tongue at that.

But he can’t deny a word. He is aware that over the course of the next days he will be even sicker and that will put even more stress on Komori because he’ll have to take care of him. having an extra person will more helpful.  And Komori wouldn’t call someone who he isn’t absolutely sure about for help.

But having Aone here, someone that he likes and only knows for a short period of time, seeing him in such a pathetic and disgusting state makes him anxious.  Especially when he made the other feel unwelcomed here by being snappy and unpleasant. He clenches his fists, angry at himself for not trying enough.

In the end he concedes with a simple fine.

He spends the rest of the evening thinking of a new password and a way to make up for today.

~ ~ ~

Aone comes back the next afternoon through the slightly open door Komori left and he finds Kiyoomi standing and moving in a snail’s pace to the couch, holding as many blankets as he can wrapped around him.

The taller takes off his shoes and is quickly by his side helping him walk to it. Kiyoomi then flops to it, blankets covering him like a cocoon.

“Thanks...” he says, muffled by the fabrics. He takes out his head to breathe properly. He is sure his hair is a curly mess, some flying in various directions and some clinging to his face.

“Should you be on the bed?”

“It smells like death in there. We opened the window a bit to air it out.”

Aone stands and moves to the bag he left on the hallway and put a cup from a cafeteria on the table.

“it’s hot chocolate, sweet. Unless you prefer tea?”

Kiyoomi is too tired to deny that he’s blushing and takes the cup eagerly and tastes as much as he can the sweetness of it. It’s still warm, meaning that it freshly bought.

“it’s good.”

Aone nods.  They stay in semi comfortable silence until Komori come’s back from his shower, dressed and drying his hair. He hands the thermometer at Kiyoomi.

“Sup Aone!” he greets chirpily “Hope this guy didn’t bore you to death” he waves his hand towards and annoyed Kiyoomi

“Good afternoon. It’s fine, really. “ he looks at him “I enjoy his company very much.”

Kiyoomi thermometer goes off and so do the flush on his face and his guilt. Of course, Komori is snickering next to him as he checks his temperature.

“38.5. Not as bad as this morning. And you’re not coughing that much anymore. Is your head okay?”

“minor headache. It’ll pass.” he answers still hiding his reddened face on the blankets.

“okay then. I’m gonna start dinner.” He ruffles Kiyoomi’s hair and gets up.

“I’ll help,” Aone starts standing too but Komori lays a hand on his shoulders.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! You’re our guest after all AND you’re helping us a lot by being here”

“But—”

“He’s right,” Kiyoomi cuts in, trying to keep his voice friendly “you’re our guest. Even if we asked you for help, you don’t have to do everything.”

Aone sits back down at the opposite end of the couch, letting Komori go in the kitchen.

The television is playing some drama series that Kiyoomi actually starts paying attention to, the warmth of his covers and the comfortable position, relaxing him into the couch. He only coughs twice but nothing too worrisome.  Small clattering sounds can be heard from the kitchen.

“You seem close.” Aone breaks the silence.

“Who?”

“You and Komori.”

“Ah.. we’ve been friends since middle school. Went to same schools until university. Same volleyball team.”

“Wing spiker?” Kiyoomi smiles at that.

“Libero. Many are surprised by  that because many liberos have smaller and leaner statures.”

“Does he still play?”

“Yeah, definitely. We had a practice match with his school last year, I don’t know if you remember. The first loss of the season?”

“Yeah. I went to that match. It was pretty intense. I was sitting pretty far then, so I couldn’t see faces.”

“It’s fine.  Are former teammates of your in the campus?”

“No, most of them are working back in Miyagi.”  the tone of his voice’s gotten a bit more fond when talking about his teammates.

 The conversation moved easily after that, jumping from the subject of Aone’s lively teammates shenanigans to Sakusa’s newborn brother.

“My sisters thought that the crib was too boring for him so they started drawing on every surface they could to decorate it. When my dad came to check on them, everything had crayon on, including all three of their faces. The shocking part is that Kazuko was asleep the whole time!” he laughed at the memory, feeling better as the afternoon went on. Aone was smiling at him as he told the story.

“telling stories about little Kazuko without me? you traitor!” Komori exclaimed when finished with dinner, placing the first plates on the table. Aone and Kiyoomi both stand to help, the latter ignoring his friend’s protests and insisting he was fine. And he was, for the most part. He only wobbles a little once, but Aone was there to keep him standing, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He doesn’t space out thinking about it or thinking about how nice Aone’s smile is. Not at all.

When it’s time for him to leave, Kiyoomi insists that he’ll take him to the door to see him of. He had two thin blankets wrapped around him , still feeling chilly.

“Thank you for the food.” Aone bows.

“Thank you for your help.” He bows back. He hesitates before saying “Have a safe trip home.”  And watches him leave.

The moment the door closes he groans.

“You’re going to try better than that!” Komori’s states as he’s zapping though the channels.

“I know.” he whispers in response.

~ ~ ~

 The next  four days pass in the literal meaning of painfully slow.

Kiyoomi’d gotten worse overnight, fever rising again and his coughing fits came back with a vengeance. Headaches come and go as the please and each one is stronger than the previous. He stays bundled up in his covers, seeking for warmth.

Komori is more or less panicking, calling their mother’s for advice and taking his temperature every hour.

He feels extremely bad for his friend. He came here to enjoy the last days of winter break by going out and actually doing enjoyable stuff. But instead he’s stuck with taking care of him when he should just leave him already, tired of him.

The first time he tries to tell him this, Komori gets downright pissed.

“Like hell I’m leaving you alone here! I’ m here because I want to be, not because I have to!  Seriously Kiyoomi, we’ve been friends for years. You have to realize at some point that you’re stuck with me. Now, eat your food before I feed you while looking at you with unconditional love and affection!”  Kiyoomi got right to it, appalled by the possibility of Komori actually doing it.

His sleeping pattern was completely reversed because he finds himself not being able to sleep for more than three hours at night and instead sleeping all day until the sun is nearly dark.

Aone comes every afternoon after work and the first thing he says when he sees him in this condition is calling a hospital. But they stop him before they answer because while painful,  both Komori and Kiyoomi know that it’s just the way his body is reacting to being sick after years .

Luckily, by the fifth day, he’s feeling better, to everyone’s relief. His sleeping patterns are slowly turning back to normal and he doesn’t need as many covers as before to keep warm.

The three of them are in his apartment in the afternoon and Kiyoomi manages to get Komori to go out and breathe some fresh air. He’s being staying with him for the last five days, without getting out and he is aware that his more outgoing friend wants to be outside.

Besides, he wants to talk to Aone alone.

Komori gets the message, gives him an encouraging thumbs up and leaves the house to go buy souvenirs in town.

The moment the door closes, Kiyoomi feels less bold than when Komori was here. But he won’t let it get to him. He knows what he has to do, no matter how anxious he is about the outcome.

Right now there is only silence. They are in the living room and Aone has brought his textbooks to study here. Kiyoomi is sitting on the couch, fingers fidgeting or paying with the material of his blanket.

“Aone,” he calls.

The other raises his head to look at Sakusa “Do you need anything?”

“Um… not really. I just …” he focuses his eyes at the turned off television, then at the table “wanted to say thank you for being here.”

“you don’t have to—”

“Yeah I do.” Kiyoomi interrupts “You could be anywhere else but instead came here. Even when I was harsh to you the first day, you came.” he still doesn’t look at the other.

He feels the couch dip in the spot beside him “you were sick  and didn’t know I was coming. It’s understandable.”

“I was still being an asshole, though. I just…” he trails off, not knowing how to explain his restlessness. He’s better than this, Aone deserves an non anxiety filled explanation and apology. He stares at his fingers harshly, like they’re the reason behind everything bad happening to him and his grip tightens around them.

Then there is a hand, a slightly larger one abode his own. “It’s alright.” A thumb is brushing his pale knuckles and his grip lessen the slightest.

He looks up, meeting Aone’s eyes for the first time today. They are close, but not so close that Kiyoomi feels like he’s in his personal space. He looks like he doesn’t intend to do anything further than holding his hand and Kiyoomi is happy with it. He feels like a nervous, sweaty mess and the last thing he wants is the slightest chance of Aone getting his sickness.

They stay like this for a few minutes, for the other to let Kiyoomi adjust to the gesture and ready to pull his hand away the moment he feels uneasy.

But Kiyoomi feels a rush of heat in his face, a pleasant one in the midst of all his fever those past days, and touches Aone’s fingers lightly with his other, unoccupied hand. It’s also sweaty but when he looks up at Aone, he sees soft eyes watching him. They smile at each other.

There are no words to be said, but still Kiyoomi is feeling a rush of bravery and lays his head on Aone’s shoulder and closes his eyes. He puts his other hand completely above Aone’s so now his hand is between Kiyoomi’s and closes his eyes.

 

When he wakes up Komori is in the apartment, sending him not so subtle looks of a prideful mother.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and Comment are appreciated! I hope I did justice to the characters.  
> Ok headcanon time! Like in the first part those that aren't necessarily in the fic.
> 
> Komori Headcanons:  
> 1.Komori's an only child.  
> 2\. He and his family spoil Sakusa's little siblings to death!  
> 3!! Komori loves children's movies.  
> 4\. He is one of those that talk in baby voices to babies.  
> 5\. He likes eye catching cars (bright colours and interior) and he even owns one!  
> IF YOU CAN'T SEE KOMORI'S CAR FROM SPACE, THEN WHAT'S THE POINT? - Komori Motoya at some point.  
> 6\. He can't park to save his life. He tries his best though.  
> 7!! as much as he likes driving safely and all that, when he's alone in the car and the roads are empty, he tokyo drifts that shit as much as he can without getting into an accident! Drive safely everybody.  
> 8!! he also loves documentaries.  
> 9!! he studies geology and he plans to teach that at college.  
> 10\. He fuses over Sakusa but what else is new?  
> 11\. But even so he doesn't hesitate to take initiatives, but without pushing Sakusa out of his comfort zone. 
> 
> some extra Sakusa headcanons (the main ones are on the first part):  
> 1\. He has way too many covers on his house.  
> 2!! He can get into soap operas. It's better seeing seeing people kissing on tv rather that next to him on the subway.  
> 3\. His password was the number 10 (high school jersey number) in binary. The hilarious part is that 10 in binary is 1010! I was laughing my ass off when I remembered it! He's a bit of a nerd.  
> 4\. he listens to ASMR to relax. (this is actually a last minute one that i wanted to put because i recently discovered it myself and i love it. it made me sleep more and study without getting distracted by my own thought. the channel I listen to is call 'Relax Sleep ASMR' on YouTube.) 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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